“Too many squats at the gym?” Kelly laughed uncomfortably, the kind of stilted laugh that came from the discomfort of being watched. Chase wasn’t making much of an attempt to hide it. Amanda thought how grateful he must feel that there were other people in the room, because she felt the same way. She wanted to warn him: If the behemoth on the table next to you makes any motion to rise, make a run for the door. She’d be right behind him.

“Stairmaster,” Amanda murmured and she felt the cool rush of air down the left side of her body when Kelly folded the bedding so that nearly the entire left side of her body was uncovered. She could almost feel the stinging slap on her now-bare flesh that she was certain Chase itched to deliver. What she got instead was Kelly’s normal, almost dainty hands by comparison, followed by his elbow and forearm trying to act as clinical as possible as the barely contained nuclear energy took over the room, threatening to suffocate them all.

Amanda kept her head in the face cradle, completely daunted by the glare Chase had given her. It was impossible to enjoy the massage, but she relaxed a little, resolved that even if the consequences were more than she’d bargained for, she had set things in motion and was prepared to accept them. The masseuses finished their legs in unison and Bobbi requested they both turn over before presenting her back and lifting the sheet and blanket to keep her client from getting tangled in the transition. Kelly had already turned around and lifted Amanda’s, trying to hide the deep, centering breath he was taking. It gave them a moment of relative privacy, and she could feel Chase staring at her again the second he was given the opportunity. She afforded him the look, trying once again for apologetic, but probably overshot. Chase was leaning on his elbow, an eyebrow fully raised, his face otherwise impassive. He continued staring until she blinked; then he shook his head slowly and lay back down on his table. Amanda took a quick glance down at Chase’s torso and gave a little smirk of satisfaction. His sheet and blanket were flat against his rock-hard belly; Bobbi’s touch meant nothing to him.

Chase continued to watch Kelly massage his girlfriend, vexed but now also fascinated. He had calmed down considerably the farther Kelly got away from her behind, and now that they were on their backs, he could easily monitor the other man’s hands on her shoulders. He looked detached, the sure sign he was comfortable with his own firm resolution and willing to wait for its moment. He watched the hands rub her supple flesh in a way that suggested he had mentally replaced them with his own. He was engrossed with the swirling motion of skin on skin. Amanda began to do the same thing, watching him watching her, and soon envisioned it was Chase’s powerful hands massaging her. Kelly’s now felt limp and weak by comparison. She reached out her hand from beneath the sheet and blanket and extended it in his direction, longing for his touch. A moment later his hand was there, his fingers webbing with hers. His thumb gently played with each of her fingertips while her hand rested on top of his. They kept the contact while the massages continued, until Kelly sat at Amanda’s head and began to massage her scalp, his fingers working up her neck and weaving deep within her hair. Chase’s grip tightened on her hand, her fingers forced to drape over his now balled fist. Apparently, he considered her hair a sore spot and off limits as well. Eventually, he returned his hand back to his side, closed his eyes against it, and patiently waited for the hour to end. By the time it was over, everyone in the room had broken out into a sweat, all for different reasons.

“All done,” Bobbi said, and Kelly’s sigh that the ordeal was over was poorly contained.

“Is it possible for us to book another hour?” Chase politely got right to his point from his table, his eyes still closed and all the confidence that his request would be accommodated.

Following Chase’s lead, Amanda remained on her table, but from half-closed eyes, caught Kelly looking desperately at Bobbi, shaking his head slightly but vigorously.

“I’m sorry, but we have other clients . . .” Bobbi began.

“That’s okay,” Chase continued pleasantly. “You did a great job, Bobbi, thank you. I feel completely relaxed. I was just hoping to take advantage of it, maybe take a nap, chat with my girlfriend. I’m really more interested in the room. And by all means, bill me for the extra hour, both for you and Kelly.”

Kelly relaxed, thanked them, and vacated the room, telling them to have a nice day. Amanda bit back a snicker; he’d earned it.

“I guess that would be all right,” Bobbi said hesitantly.

“If I don’t see you back in here in thirty seconds, I’ll go ahead and assume it is,” Chase said smoothly, and Amanda stifled a shudder. He said it cordially, but it sounded more like he had just dismissed her, an unmistakable air of authority reflected in his tone. Bobbi was quick to respond and told them they were also welcome to wait at the fish tanks and she’d see them in an hour. If that was what he reduced a virtual stranger to, Amanda could only imagine what was in store for her.

The door quietly closed and Amanda continued to lie on her table with her eyes closed. Silence lingered and she strained to hear further movement within the room.

“Amanda,” he said, finally breaking the stillness. He sounded almost amused. “It’s time to face the music. Sit up.”

Amanda opened one eye and looked over at him. He was already sitting on his table. She had never heard him move. He was stealthy, like all predators, silent while stalking. She sat up across from him, their knees barely touching, and tried to give him her best come-hither look in the attempt to soften his wrath.

“You are just about the naughtiest girl I ever met. What did I say about another man touching you?”

“That you didn’t want me to talk about it?”

In the dim lighting of the spa room, she could see his eyes shoot out vivid green sparks along with the flash of white teeth when he couldn’t keep from smiling. His shoulder and arm muscles were shiny from the oil used for his massage and they flexed while he allowed himself a single laugh before getting back down to business.

“Splitting hairs when you’re in so much trouble? Do you really think that’s wise?”

She didn’t know if it was wise, but it certainly had been satisfying. Amanda averted her eyes to the thin door made mostly of bamboo slats. Surely he wouldn’t try to discipline her here, not with a spa full of people all striving for serenity just beyond it. It was bad enough there were at least two employees with the impression that in the next hour there was likely to be some hanky-panky, which sadly was also unlikely. America’s Golden Boy would never risk being called out for rutting in a suburban day spa.

“Just what were you trying to prove? Please tell me you at least had a plan?” He interrupted her thought process with the overindulgence indicative of a dominant man fully embracing his role.

“Of course I had a plan,” she contended, sounding confident, which was easy as long as she was concentrating on the door.

The plan had played out in her mind that they would be forced to sit together in the secluded yet still public fish tank area, where she could sweet-talk him or further infuriate him as they lounged and rehydrated over glasses of ice water with lemon. Then after that, they would need to go get dressed, thereby giving her more time to let him cool off and she could offer to take him for lunch. Or she could get ready to hear the voice. Either way, by nightfall she’d be getting exactly what she wanted. But he had turned the tables on her. They were now alone in the same room, completely naked for the next hour. She may not have bested him at all. He had probably already formulated his course of action while watching Kelly go to work on her glutes. Now he was just going to toy with her.

“Look at me,” he quietly insisted.

Her gaze drifted up his legs to his torso, stopping to quiver again at the sight of one of his huge hands, resting on the table alongside his thigh, the sheet draped casually over them. She knew all the things that one of those paws was capable of. Even his forearms were laced in muscle and bulk. His abs rippled up to the shelves that were his pecs. By the time she reached his neck, she had determined he resembled a Roman gladiator, having just finished a successful day in the colosseum. One who had slayed any opponent, man or beast, with nothing other than his bare hands; okay, maybe he’d used a stick. She briefly went back to the sheet, knowing full well it was barely covering what in her opinion was his most dangerous weapon. The thought alone was enough to set her pulse racing. She finally reached his eyes and tried not to gasp. His gaze was fixated on her, indomitable and burning.

“How long has this guy been massaging you?” Chase growled preemptively in anticipation of her answer.

“It’s the first time,” she said, feeling her bravado starting to go into a tailspin. “I’ve always used Bobbi in the past.”

“Really?” Chase said blandly, in direct contrast with the vein on the side of his neck that was starting to bulge as his jaw clenched. He honestly didn’t know which was worse. “So you did all of this just to wind me up and set me off?”

“You told me to give it my best shot,” Amanda squeaked, all her nerve officially nose-diving.

“That I did,” he conceded calmly, way too calmly. “Is it my turn now?”

Gulp. He wanted his turn now. He wasn’t supposed to get his turn until later, much later, after he’d cooled down and they were alone. Not waiting for her answer, Chase removed his sheet and stood. Amanda watched his broad back and wonderful, tight buns walk over to where their robes were still hanging. He put his own on, tying the sash tightly before taking her robe off its hook and going back to her. Towering over her, he looked down at her and said quietly. “Stand up, please.”